Customs/Immigration in Auckland, NZ

[forshping]

Approximately how much time should we allow to claim baggage and clear customs/immigration in Auckland? Is an hour adequate time? Our hotel provides shuttle service from the airport and we will need to reserve before our arrival in Auckland. Thanks.

[Mura]

We were there 8 years ago so this may not be pertinent but I don't recall any troubles in clearing customs. However, one of our party inadvertently still had an orange that caused a LOT of ruckus! Be sure not to have any fresh fruit with you ... they are very sensitive about that Down Under.

 

Mura

[Hawaiidan]

Perhaps the most detailed I have been to, several years ago. It too depends of what class your flying in First and Business easier than coach. I would allow 1.5 hours to be safe... NZ being heavily union people work more slowly..It is a small airport...

[pinotlover]

If memory serves me, they wanted a printed itinerary, on either the airline, or cruise ship, letterhead stating when and how you were leaving the country. Having it readily available, and not having to dig around looking for it helped speed the process. They are not like the US, without permission, one can not just arrive and stay.

[Opua Kiwi]

Auckland is a very efficient airport, as are the customs and immigration officers.

If you are arriving early morning (5 - 6:30 am) there can be a bit of a queue at the non electronic passport section, but immigration seem to have enough officers to cater for that.

 

Once you are off the aircraft and have collected your bags everyone is in the same line for quarantine.

If you have any items to declare it really helps if these can be quickly shown to the quarantine officer.

 

This will help them decide if you can exit straight away or secondary screening is required.

 

Once you are off the aircraft an hour should be fine.

 

Enjoy your time in NZ.

[forshping]

auckland is a very efficient airport, as are the customs and immigration officers.

If you are arriving early morning (5 - 6:30 am) there can be a bit of a queue at the non electronic passport section, but immigration seem to have enough officers to cater for that.

 

Once you are off the aircraft and have collected your bags everyone is in the same line for quarantine.

If you have any items to declare it really helps if these can be quickly shown to the quarantine officer.

 

This will help them decide if you can exit straight away or secondary screening is required.

 

Once you are off the aircraft an hour should be fine.

 

Enjoy your time in nz.

 

thank you everyone for your helpful advice. Much appreciated......

[Baandb]

When arriving a Auckland airport - everyone passes through the same immigration and customs queues - however, if you are in business class you will be first off the plane and should be at the immigration queues before those traveling in economy.

 

The majority of passengers entering Auckland airport will be traveling on NZ or Australian passports which enable them to process themselves using self-service kiosks. Hence the queues at immigration are typically not very long.

 

If you have priority luggage, you should find your bags on the carousels by the time you get to the baggage collection area - or very shortly thereafter.

 

The big hold up at Auckland Airport can be the customs declaration area, where everybody (irrespective of where they have flown from, or the class of travel) must queue to declare what is being brought into the country. In particular the customs officials will want to examine any food being brought into the country. (Don't try and hide any food, as the beagles /x-ray are very effective)

 

The hot-spots tends to be around midnight when all the flights leaving Australia (eg Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne etc) in late afternoon descend on Auckland at about the same time.

 

Here is a link to the flight arriving at AKL.

 

https://www.aucklandairport.co.nz/FlightInformation/ArrivalsAndDepartures.aspx

[stromer]

I will be arriving at Auckland about noon with only carry on luggage and then going to the Qantas business class lounge to kill time before I go to my hotel in Auckland. Is the lounge before customs or after? Can I take food from the lounge through customs if it is before.

Thanks, Rick

[Baandb]

I will be arriving at Auckland about noon with only carry on luggage and then going to the Qantas business class lounge to kill time before I go to my hotel in Auckland. Is the lounge before customs or after? Can I take food from the lounge through customs if it is before.

Thanks, Rick

 

Because of the segregation of incoming & outgoing passengers, you will not be able to enter the Qantas lounge unless you are in transit to another international destination.

 

Note: Whilst food from the lounge will not an issue, the same food restrictions also apply for food taken off the plane.

[Jancruz]

We were there 8 years ago so this may not be pertinent but I don't recall any troubles in clearing customs. However, one of our party inadvertently still had an orange that caused a LOT of ruckus! Be sure not to have any fresh fruit with you ... they are very sensitive about that Down Under.

 

Mura

 

LOL..Mura means they almost arrested my husband Stuart because he had an orange with him and we were there 3 hours..fortunately we had an attorney with us..Leave it to my husband...rotfl

Jancruz1

[Mura]

LOL back at you, Jan. I was being discreet!! I figured it was up to you to decide if you wanted to reveal the whole story ... Is Stu still on their black list?

 

Mura

[Jancruz]

LOL back at you, Jan. I was being discreet!! I figured it was up to you to decide if you wanted to reveal the whole story ... Is Stu still on their black list?

 

Mura

 

As far as I know he can never enter NZ again..LOL

BTW Happy Healthy New Year to you and Howard!!

Jancruz1

[PaulMCO]

Real sticklers for protecting the country from fruit born insects and foot and mouth. So if you live on a farm (cattle or horse), make sure you clean your boots. My DW got caught and they made here go to the inspection area to wash hers.

[ronrick1943]

Yes they are---but the last time I was NZ the line when pretty fast.

[forshping]

when arriving a auckland airport - everyone passes through the same immigration and customs queues - however, if you are in business class you will be first off the plane and should be at the immigration queues before those traveling in economy.

 

The majority of passengers entering auckland airport will be traveling on nz or australian passports which enable them to process themselves using self-service kiosks. Hence the queues at immigration are typically not very long.

 

If you have priority luggage, you should find your bags on the carousels by the time you get to the baggage collection area - or very shortly thereafter.

 

The big hold up at auckland airport can be the customs declaration area, where everybody (irrespective of where they have flown from, or the class of travel) must queue to declare what is being brought into the country. In particular the customs officials will want to examine any food being brought into the country. (don't try and hide any food, as the beagles /x-ray are very effective)

 

the hot-spots tends to be around midnight when all the flights leaving australia (eg sydney, brisbane, melbourne etc) in late afternoon descend on auckland at about the same time.

 

Here is a link to the flight arriving at akl.

 

https://www.aucklandairport.co.nz/flightinformation/arrivalsanddepartures.aspx

 

thanks so very much for this helpful information and website. Appreciate it.

[pinotlover]

While on the ship, in NZ, the CD announces about every five minutes before disembarkment for any of the ports that no fruits or vegetables can leave the ship. It's announced over and over and over. We had a schmuck that wanted to take his lunch, with some type of fruit in a bag, to shore with him to save from buying it. He was caught by the patrol dog at the dock. They had the cheap fool handcuffed and being lead away quickly. I'm not sure if he got back on the boat that night or the next day in a different port!

 

Why these idiots risk their vacation over an orange or an banana just amazes me!:rolleyes: